Progressive gelding Firehouse Rock (4g Fastnet Rock x Bird of Fire, by Stravinsky) put the best foot forward at Caulfield on Saturday to score a lucrative win in the $250,000 Inglis Cup.

Prepared by David Hayes and Tom Dabernig, Firehouse Rock had won only one of 14 previous starts, but Group placings last season at three in the Caulfield Classic and Autumn Classic showed he may have more to offer.

Firehouse Rock had shown improvement at each of his three runs back from a spell and was fit and hard for the 2000 metres.

He settled well and found the line strongly for Dwayne Dunn to win by a short neck.

“We gelded him after his last preparation,” said Tom Dabernig.

“You’ve got to hold him up and produce him at the right time and Dwayne Dunn rode him perfectly.

“It’s a great initiative from Inglis and a terrific result for the owners.

“One of the part-owners bred Firehouse Rock and is sending his full brother to Inglis Easter next year, so this will certainly help him sell even better.”

Firehouse Rock was the top lot at the 2013 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale fetching $450,000 for Esker Lodge when bought by Australian Thoroughbred Bloodstock, McKeever Bloodstock and has now won well over $400,000 in prizemoney.

Firehouse Rock is the first foal of Group II winning Stravinsky (USA) mare Bird of Fire